Brits Debate Bumping Girls Up Royal Line

Law that favors male heirs may be ditched
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 19, 2011 4:49 AM CST
Brits Debate Bumping Girls Up Royal Line
Britain's Prince William and his fiancee Kate Middleton pose for the media at St. James's Palace in London.   (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

With a royal wedding on the way, the British government is considering a move to bring the monarchy into at least the 20th century. Ministers are debating changing the law on royal succession to give females the same rights as males, the Telegraph reports. As the law stands, any son born to Prince William and Kate Middleton would move to the head of the line of succession, even if he had a big sister.

Government officials realize the law may be discriminatory, although changing it will be a complicated process, because it will require the consent of the other 15 Commonwealth countries which also have the British monarch as their head of state. Eleven attempts to amend the relevant law—which also bars Catholics or those married to Catholics from the throne—have failed since 1981, the Daily Mail notes.
(More royal wedding stories.)

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